bathe you in the light of day
by Storm Clouds and Stars
Summary: Nick/Jess. 'Because I love the way you say good morning.' Nick and Jess' life as told through a series of significant mornings in their relationship.


**A/N: This has taken me so long to write! Thirteen word documents: I am officially the world's most magnificent waffler. Oh, well. The inspiration for this came from three songs: Crack the Shutters by Snow Patrol, Home by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros and Wake Me Up by Ed Sheeran. Give them a listen before you read this, I highly recommend them! Also, I use the song 'Daisy Bell' in part of this story, hehe. Isn't that song just like sunshine?**

**This is Nick and Jess' life through a series of significant mornings throughout their relationship. It starts of kind of close to the plot of the show then gets lost in happy meadows of shippiness. Also known as my happy place, giggle. Also, this hasn't been proof read by anyone but me, excuse the spelling/grammar errors I missed. But I'm lazy. Also, I'm English, so my Americanisms might not be spot on, but I tried!**

**Reviews are love.**

* * *

**bathe you in the light of day**

'_**maybe I'm in love with the way you wake me up'**_

He's struck by the way his fingertips dance along the expanse of her skin without leaving a single mark upon the silken whiteness. She's glowing golden in the tangle of early morning sunbeams and pale pink bed sheets as he lay next to her in awestruck silence, breathing her in as if she's freshly laundered sheets. The morning is silent, and Nick daren't breathe in the fear that he'd shatter the perfect scene in front of him. Dark lashes flutter against pale skin, and then blue eyes misted like the first day of spring open wide in confusion and he kisses her just because he can.

"What are we, Nick?" The whisper is against his lips and can taste the sadness on her breath so he kisses her forehead and closes his eyes tight because he will keep this perfect moment for as long as he can.

"I don't know Jess, I just don't know."

He feels her slip through the gaps in his fingers like grains of sand.

**xXx**

He next wakes up with her when it's not quite morning. She awakens first, in his half-conscious state he notices that the comforting, rhythmic lull of her breathing is absent so he wakes suddenly, violently, her name tumbling from his lips in a panicked shout.

Her arms slide up his back in response and entwine lightly around his neck, and he can tell something's very, very wrong because he can feel her tears on his skin as she rests her face in the crook where his neck meets his shoulder. Grasping blindly in the dark he searches for her hand and entwines their fingers tightly together when he finds it, squeezing her hand in a silent display of affection.

"I can't do this anymore, Nick."

And the house of cards he's been building around their world of perfection falls down as if caught in a gust of wind, crashing down around him. He untwines their fingers suddenly and ignores the burning in the back of his eyelids (don't cry, man, for god's sake don't cry in front of her) and blinks rapidly into the blackness. There's a snuffling noise behind him and he knows she's crying and he kind of hates himself for making her cry but he also kind of hates her too because god dammit she hurt him and she promised she wouldn't. _'You deserve something amazing and you deserve love.' _His heart hammers in his chest and it kind of feels like he's going to puke and cry at the same time so he twists his fingers into her bed sheets and forces a single word out of his throat:

"Why?"

She shuffles delicately to sit in front of him, her quiet movements echoing like thunder in the dark stillness. Her hands rest on top of his and she oh-so-delicately rubs her thumb in little circles on the top of his hand.

"Because, Nick," She's gazing at their joined hands, refusing to meet his eyes, "I can't be what you need."

"Jess… Nick's eyes search her face, but she still won't look at him, "You are, you are what I need…"

"I've fallen in love with you." Her eyes widen as she realises what she's said and he is momentarily horrified at the way her voice breaks in pain and, damn, did he do that? But then a feeling like stars erupting from every inch of his skin sparkles over him because she _loves_ him. The fairytale princess hasn't fallen in love with the prince this time but with the kind of emotionally unstable barman with the gruff voice and poop coloured eyes. He's so confused but so happy, and with a gentle but firm touch he lifts her face and forces her to meet his eyes and as brown meet blue he is overwhelmed by one thing: he is very much in love with her, too. And it's not scary like it was with Caroline or kind of awkward like it was with Julia it's just right, because it's Jess.

But then he notices she's crying. And it's not the 'let's-watch-dirty-dancing-for-the-millionth-time' wracking sobs he's used to, it's silent tears that fall down her face like splinters of glass and it makes him stomach twist in pain because now he realises it's him that she's crying over, and that should never happen. (He makes a promise to himself at that moment, he will never let another tear fall from her eye on his sake.)

"And," she continues, "I know that you don't, won't ever feel the same way about me and this-" She gestures between them, "It just hurts, so bad knowing that so I think it's best if we…" He gently rests a finger against her moving lips and her big blue eyes widen in response.

He takes her hand in his and whispers "Come with me," in her ear.

Taking her hand, he guides her out into the living room where she looks at him with confused eyes and he just wants to kiss her so badly but he can't – he's got something to do. So he smiles at her reassuringly and she does this little half smile back and did he mention he was in love with her?

"WINSTON! SCHMIDT!" He bellows at the very top of his lungs and he cringes at the way his voice rings out through the silent apartment, and he's very sure that he'll get complaints from the neighbours in the morning but right now he doesn't care. "SCHMIDT, WINSTON! GET YOUR ASSES OUT HERE, NOW!"

"You have got to be kidding me!" Winston appears at his door clutching a baseball bat and blinking in the sudden light. "I thought there was some kind of armed robbery going on. What the hell is this?"

"Do you people not UNDERSTAND the principle of beauty sleep?" Schmidt appears at his door in his kimono (Nick shudders) and wild eyes.

"Schmidt, I can honestly say no I do not, and I am a little bit concerned that you do." Winston says, shooting a look at Schmidt that shows that he pointedly disapproves.

"Guys, shut up!" Nick shouts again, and Jess shoots a sideways glance at him, obviously still confused at the evenings events. "There is a reason I called you all out here. And here it is." Nick steps closer to Jess and twines their fingers together tightly, and her eyes widen before her face spilt into a wide grin, finally realising Nick's plan. "I am in love with Jess. We have been sleeping together for months now. We have also had sex in your bed, Schmidt, sorry about that buddy." Nick nods in Schmidt's direction as Jess blushes a deep red and Winston snorts at the horrified look on Schmidt's face.

"And as of tonight, she is my girlfriend." Jess can't resist leaning up a pressing a chaste kiss to Nick's cheek, and she grins as he scoops her into his arms. "Night all!" With Jess' resounding giggle lingering in the room, the couple collapse into her room, the door closing behind them with a resonating bang.

"Dude, they've been doing it for months! Told you I was right, you owe me fifty bucks." Schmidt yawns, turning back to his room.

"Whatever, Schmidt," Winston mumbles, a smile appearing on his face despite himself. He could be mad tomorrow.

**xXx**

He wakes one morning to find her leaning over him with a wide grin on her face and he takes a second to appreciate how freaking beautiful his girlfriend is, because, well; damn. Her eyes are wide and blue and he can't exactly pinpoint their exact shade but if he had to say he'd go for a mix of ocean and the sky just before it turns to night. Her dark hair tumbles in a curtain around her face as she gazes down at him and he says a little prayer of thanks right then because he finally has her.

"Nicholas…" She drags out the single syllable of his name like it's the sweetest thing she's ever tasted and with her sleep laced voice he wonders for a minute if she means to sound that erotic but then he sees a wicked glint in her eye and he totally knows she does. She leans down and kisses him oh so lightly on her lips, feather light like a whisper. He groans as she pulls away, and notices her satisfied smirk, taking pleasure in teasing him.

"Jess…" He drags out her name as she did his, and he grins at the dark flash that takes over her pretty blue eyes. Oh, he could play games too. But as he reaches up to capture her lips once more she pulls her face away quickly, shaking her head.

"Not yet, mister!" Jess says in a mock stern voice, wagging her finger at him condemningly, "First, I want to know something." She settles herself into his side comfortably, resting her head on his chest.

"What do you want to know, baby?" He feels her smile into his skin at the use of the term of endearment and he mentally takes a note to call her baby in the future.

"Tell me why you fell in love with me." The room was silent now, aside from the gentle huff of the two breathing. Jess mentally scolds herself for asking such a stupid question with the pregnant pause that follows, but is presently surprised when he answers.

"Your eyes." Nick replies immediately, not missing a beat. Jess raises her head to look at him, crooking her eyebrow.

"My eyes?" She asks, crossing them in a goofy way as if she's trying to look at them herself. He smiles at her.

"They're beautiful. Like, they're blue but they're hard to say what kind of blue. You know people normally say 'blue like the sky' or whatever, but yours are your own special shade. And when you're sad, or sleepy, they kind of get misty and they look like the first day of spring. And when you're happy they light up. They look like the things you hang on the tree at Christmas. And when you're angry, or turned on," She blushes deep red at this, "That's when they're my favourite colour. They turn all stormy and full of passion. And, when I was arguing with you, and you got all red faced and huffy, and I looked into your eyes and saw that? That's when I fell in love with you." She gazes at him in silence as she absorbs his words, and he notices her eyes have misted again.

"Jess, I…"

She crashes her lips down onto his and Nick makes a mental note to tell her why he loves her on a regular basis.

**xXx**

Its Christmas morning and she wakes him up by throwing a neatly wrapped box at his head. He slowly eases open his exhausted eyes to be greeted with the image of her in a reindeer costume (with red nose, she must be Rudolf) dancing round the room singing Christmas Carols at the top of her lungs. His heart swells with love as he looks at her, eyes closed and spinning around in pure ecstasy, before the realisation that it was freaking two in the morning and he was awake smacked him right in the face.

"Jess it's two in the morning! Two! I do not function until the sun has been in the sky for a minimum of four hours." Nick groans and buries himself in the mess of duvets, eyes burning from fatigue. However, Jess was not to be easily beaten, and launches herself on top of him with full force.

"Jess, remember the last time you jumped on me? And broke my spine? And then we had that lovely chat about personal space and boundaries?" Nick groans, cringing at the memory. Jess ignores him.

"It's Christmas, Nicholas!" She squeals, and Nick just makes the turtle face at her. "Come on, Nick, get up get up get up!" She starts bouncing up and down on him from her position above, and he lets out a frustrated growl as he flips them and pins her under him, wrists held securely above her head in his hands. She immediately quietens and he notices her eyes turn dark, and suddenly he doesn't feel as tired anymore.

He lowers her mouth to her lips and feels her breath hitch in anticipation, blue eyes focussed on his lips.

"Merry Christmas, Jess." He whispers before capturing her lips with his, swallowing her contented sigh. She tasted like cinnamon and eggnog and Christmas morning.

That night, Nick sits with sleeping Jess sprawled across his lap watching a repeat of some dull Christmas special on TV. Winston comes into the room and makes a face at the wrapped up couple before taking a seat on the opposite couch. Schmidt has retired to bed early with CeCe for some what he dubbed 'special time with sexy Santa Schmidt', much to his fellow roommate's dismay.

"What time was she up this morning?" Winston says, indicating to passed out Jess, who was now making little mewing noises in her sleep.

"Two." Nick grumbles angrily, causing Winston to chuckle into his beer. Jess stirs a little, and Nick rubs little circles on her back to comfort her, making her smile sleepily. He leans down subconsciously and presses a kiss to her forehead.

"You really love her, don't you?" Winston asks, not diverting his attention from the TV.

"Yeah. I really, really do." Nick replies, not diverting his attention from Jess.

Her lips curve into a smile against his jumper.

**xXx**

On his 33rd birthday, Nick wakes to a shower of kisses raining on his face and, as he is lulled gently into consciousness, Jess grins at him and sings a slow, husky rendition of 'happy birthday to you.'

She's made him pancakes for breakfast (chocolate chip, obviously) and doesn't bat him away like she usually does when he snakes his arms around her waist as she's washing the dishes. When she steps out of her room wearing the red dress she knows is his favourite, he feels his heart slam against his chest so hard he's surprised she can't see it.

Later, he's getting ready for his 'boys night out' (it's Schmidt's idea, he thinks they need some bro time due to the fact that each of them now had girlfriends, and that the 'brotherhood' was in need of some serious man time, and Nick's known Schmidt too long to argue, so he stupidly and reluctantly agrees) when she shuffled into his room in her flannel pyjamas with the little bunnies on them with her big, goofy glasses perched on her nose.

"Hey, Schmidt's waiting for you," Jess murmurs, and steps in front of him, adjusting the collar of his shirt before collapsing into his arms and squeezing him tightly.

"Schmidt can suck it." Nick says into her hair, smiling at the gentle hum of her laugh that reverberates on his chest. "And, you know, it's my damn birthday, yet here I am being forced to go out, with Schmidt of all people, when all I want to do is spend the night curled up in front of the TV getting pretty drunk with my beautiful girlfriend."

"You're getting old, Nick Miller!" Jess giggles as she pushes him away from her, turning to leave the room. "Go out have fun, be wild! Backstreet's back alright!" Nick cringes at her corny Backstreet Boys reference, and catches hold of her arm as she's leaving his room.

"You sure you don't want to come tonight, Jess?" His question comes out a bit more pleadingly than he'd hoped, but right then he could not care less. Jess just smiles.

"I'm sure. I'm tired and I've got some stuff to do…" Jess trails off and Nick is once again struck by just how much she means to him.

"FOR GODS SAKE WHO LEFT THEM IN A ROOM TOGETHER? NICK, JESS, PUT EACHOTHER DOWN. WE HAVE RESERVATIONS!" Schmidt's furious face appears at the door, flushed with anger, Winston close behind with a look that mirrors Nick's mood. The things they did to keep Schmidt happy.

"Jeeze, Schmidt, I'm coming!" Nick grumbles, stomping out of his room. He pauses at Jess who is still hovering in the doorway to wave them off, and stoops to kiss her sweetly.

"Night sweetheart," he breathes "I love you."

"NICK!" Schmidt's angry voice echoes from down the hall and Nick rolls his eyes, slamming the apartment door, Jess' laughter ringing happily in his ears.

When Nick gets back, it's late; he's tired, and only a little drunk. He stumbles into his room with bleary eyes, only to find Jess waiting for him.

She's wearing red lingerie that hugs her petite body in all the right places, and looks sinfully perfect against her moonlight bathed skin. He subconsciously licks his lips as he drinks her in, eyes devouring her.

"Happy Birthday, Nicholas."

**xXx**

Muffled sobs fill his ears as he wakes in a blind panic, and he gropes around desperately for a light, her name escaping from his lips in panic. Finding the switch, he flicks it on, wincing at the sudden glare in his red rimmed eyes, and he feels his heart break as his gaze settles on her.

Jess is perched at the end of their bed, hugging her knees to her chest with her forehead resting on them, dark hair shrouding her face like a curtain.

"Jess, baby…" His voice is thick and gravelly from sleep, and he quickly pulls on a pair of pants and goes to sit beside her, pulling her body close to his. She buries her face in his neck and lets out a huge sob, and he shhhh'es her until she's composed enough to talk.

"I'm pregnant."

Her words ring out in the silent room and he's really not sure how to react. Jess isn't crying anymore, she's just looking at him with her big blue eyes and sombre expression, trying to read his face. Nick's mind is in turmoil. The word 'pregnant' instantly raises alarm bells, shouting at him to run run run because buried deep inside him is the old Nick, the commitment phobe who couldn't even look after a patch of tomatoes, never mind a baby. But that old Nick really quickly got replaced by the new Nick that was more concerned with the worried look in his Jess' eyes, and he realises quite suddenly that he would literally do anything for this girl, and now was the time to be a man and do it. An image of a little baby girl with big blue eyes dressed in a frilly pink dress with pink ribbons adorning every crevice surfaces in his mind, and surprisingly, he finds he's okay with it. He was going to be a father.

He twines his fingers with hers and kisses her forehead before resting their conjoined hands on her still flat stomach. Her gaze flicks up at him suddenly and she flashes him a watery smile that sets his heart alight.

No words are exchanged, there's just a look that passes between them that says one thing: everything was going to be okay.

**xXx**

"Nick, wake up."

"Nick!"

"Nicholas!"

The three shouts of his name are followed with a swift sharp slap on the side of his head and his eyes shoot open to find a disgruntled Jess, who looks close to tears, desperately rocking a screaming baby back and forth. Her hair is a mess, there are dark bags painted under her pretty blue eyes, and she looks like she's had hardly any sleep.

"Nick, Daisy won't stop crying and I've tried everything, I've fed her and changed her and walked with her and burped her but she won't stop! I've been up three hours and I should of got you up sooner but you've been working late every night and look after her all day so I though no, I can-" Jess rambles, choking back a sob.

"Jess-"Nick tries to interrupt, but there is no stopping her.

"And she's woken everybody else up, but they won't help me! Schmidt's just turned his whale noise machine up to full volume and Winston called her an 'an adorable contraceptive mistake' and ran off to Shelby's…"

"Jess, just…"

"And she hates me Nick, my own daughter hates me! I'm a terrible mother and-"

"Jess, enough!" He nearly bellows and she stops suddenly, the room silent except for the little girl's cries. Nick climbs out of bed and wraps Jess up in a one armed embrace, feeling her tears soak into his shirt as he presses gentle kisses into her hair.

"Now then, little girl, let's stop all this noise! Be good because Mommy's at work tomorrow and Daddy's been working all night and if we fall asleep at our jobs we'll get fired and then there will be no food for baby's belly…" Jess shoots him a pointed glare and Nick quickly changes track. He's really not good at the baby talk.

"Jess, go back to bed sweetie, I got this." Jess opens her mouth to protest but decides against this, tiredness getting the better of her. She kisses Nick on the cheek and presses a kiss on Daisy's wispy hair before collapsing into bed, eyes falling shut immediately.

Nick grins at Jess' sleeping expression, before diverting his attention back to his screaming daughter currently nestled in his arms. He tickles under her chin and her blue eyes flick up to him, shining with tears. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he wipes away the tears on her little red cheeks with a gentle finger. Trying to coax her back to sleep, Nick begins to steadily rock her, but the change in momentum seems to alert her senses as she contorts her face (Jess calls it her baby turtle face) and lets out an almighty wail. Panicking, Nick jumps backwards and stubs his toe, pain blossoming immediately.

"SHIT!" He shouts loudly, eyes watering in agony, and jolting Daisy in the process, making her cry even more. "No, no don't cry! It's just Daddy being silly go to sleep, go to sleep Daisy chain. Shh, now." Yet still, she screams.

"Okay… umm… Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do." As soon as Nick starts to sing, Daisy's cries subside, and she gazes at him with wide eyed wonder. Nick carries on. "I'm half crazy, all for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage, but you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle made for two, oh Daisy…" Daisy's tiny eyelids flutter shut as she finally succumbs to sleep. Nick mentally high fives himself before gently lowering his sleeping daughter into her crib. He looks at her tiny form for minute, eyes full of love for his tiny little girl.

"I love you, sweetheart." And with that he pads back over to his bed, sliding himself between the sheets and rolling over to wrap and arm around Jess' sleeping form. Her eyes open sleepily to look at him, and she grins.

"You got her to sleep?"

"Yeah, all is well." He mumbles, sleepily.

"You're a really great father, Nick." She sighs, half asleep. Nick's heart swells a little at that, as he finally closes his eyes and allows himself to sleep.

**xXx**

When he opens his eyes this time, it's different. The walls aren't a warm, green shade anymore, instead they're overwhelmingly white. Outside the door, there isn't the hushed voices of Schmidt and Winston he'd become so accustomed to, having their usual meaningless morning argument over the correct pronunciation of chutney, or Jess' angry voice scalding Schmidt for teaching Daisy how to swear in Portuguese. His nostrils aren't filled with the homely scent of his cologne that lingers in the walls of his room, or the soft milky scent of his daughter. The sheets don't smell like Jess' lavender perfume. It's all wrong.

"Hey," Jess whispers, settling next to him, a weird kind of sad smile on her face.

"Hi," Nick whispers back, immediately taking her hand in a comforting manner.

"It's weird, huh? Too quiet. I didn't think it would feel like this. Kind of… empty." She's looking around the walls of their new bedroom in their new apartment with blank eyes, absorbing the empty walls, the broken radiator. Nick reaches up and wraps his arms around her, pulling into the mess of duvets with him, and delights in her surprised giggle.

"No, Nick! I have to pick Daisy up from Cece's in like twenty minutes; she only agreed to have her for the night while we got things set up… Schmidt will be pulling his hair out right now." Nick lets out a gruff laugh at the thought of Schmidt's discomfort, but doesn't release her from his embrace.

"It doesn't feel like home, does it?" Jess mumbles into his chest, and he bites back the tears, swallowing pas the lump in his throat.

"It will, baby, I promise." He comforts, rubbing her back.

"How can you be sure?" She sounds doubtful.

"Because, home is wherever I am with you."

**xXx **

The loft stands hauntingly empty, all four roommates now taking on the next step in their lives. The now bare walls seem to hum with memories; nights playing true American, the first time Daisy was introduced to everyone; their eyes shining in adoration and love, sat around the kitchen counter eating breakfast, the douchebag jar, or Jess sobbing over Dirty Dancing for the millionth time. Then there are the more clandestine, hidden memories; the first time Nick and Jess made love, the spot where Winston told Shelby he loved her, the way Schmidt held Cece like she was the most precious thing in the world. All left, all lingering. It wasn't much, that little loft, with its falling apart furniture and squeaking doors and rusted taps, but it was always so full of love and laughter. It was a home.

**xXx**

Nick wakes up one morning and wonders why he's been so damn slow.

He wakes up a sleeping Daisy, her sleepy blue eyes lighting up in glee as he whispers his plan in her ear, and she rushes to go and get dressed. Jess is still asleep, and Nick watches her, stroking her hair gently and grinning to himself at the random things she utters. He grin becomes especially large when a blissed out smile appears on her face in slumber and she groans "Nick Miller I'm in love with you," into the pillow, pulling the duvet tighter around herself. Daisy appears fully dressed in the doorway and with a finger in his lips he silently points to the door, Daisy nodding excitedly as they both snuck out.

When they get back, Jess is still asleep.

"Wake her Daddy, come on hurry!" Daisy squeals, bouncing excitedly on her heels, and Nick grins at her. Creeping over to a slumbering Jess, he gently shakes her shoulder, and she stirs before her fluttering eyelids open to reveal his favourite eyes in the world. She looks confused and mad to be woken up, but before she has time to orientate herself Daisy jumps into her arms shouting: "DADDY'S GOT SOMETHING TO ASK YOU!" Nick rolls his eyes at her; she's just about as subtle as her mother.

"Yes, Nick?" Jess asks, stroking Daisy's hair, a yawn escaping her lips.

"Marry me." He looks at her and she looks at him and it's like everything stops spinning and they've gone back in time to the first time he met her and she was a mess and so was he and gosh, they really were just kids then weren't they? It's like the final piece of the puzzle slots into place in that second, as their worlds comes together completely.

"Of course, you clown." The words mirror the ones she said to him oh, such a long time ago, and the meaning is lost on Daisy but her four year old brain only registered the 'of course' part anyway because she's jumping on the bed screaming in glee, but Nick feels the same tug on his heart as she says them as he did back then and he stoops down and kisses her and kisses her and kisses her.

He slips the ring onto her finger, and presses his lips to the back of her hand. That was the day Nicholas Miller became a man.

**xXx**

She wakes him up with a gentle pat on the shoulder, and Nick looks around in concern, noticing happy yet tinged with sadness expression on her face. It's then he notices Daisy stood in front of him, practically glowing with pride, sporting her new big girl school rucksack covered in ribbons and wearing her new shiny shoes, grinning at him.

"Don't be long, Dais. Daddy was working really late last night and is really sleepy right now," Jess sighs, laying a hand on her shoulder gently. Nick looks at Jess in confusion and she mouths 'she wanted to see you' at him at him, and Nick felt a lump form in his throat.

"It's my first day at school, Daddy! I'm a big girl now!" Daisy beams at him her big blue eyes shining with excitement.

"Wow, Dais! Don't you look all grown up?" Daisy smiles and twirls theatrically to show him her full outfit – bright and colourful, just like her mother. "Now, Daisy, one thing I will tell you now is: do not use the pirate voice your mother has been teaching you on anybody. Or the sophisticated man. Or the English man… You know what, no voices at all." Nick warns, and Jess sticks her tongue out at him.

"Okay, Daddy! I love you!" Daisy presses a big kiss to his cheek before running off, making up a song about school and sophisticated men as she went. She was literally a baby copy of her mother. Jess turns to follow her but Nick catches her arm, and turns her to look at him. It doesn't surprise him to see that she's crying, and she leans her head against his shoulder and snuffles sadly. It's bittersweet, he thinks, knowing your baby isn't a baby anymore.

"I think we should have another baby," Nick jokes, and her wistful smile only makes him pull her closer.

**xXx **

Nick is awoken by the sound of his voice being called frantically. He snaps his eyes open, squinting from the harsh glare of sunlight, to see his daughter's tear stained face gazing down at him

"Daisy? What are you doing here? Aren't you-" Nick starts but Daisy cuts him off.

"I can't do it, Daddy. I can't. I can't get married today! I mean, what was I thinking!" And she promptly bursts into tears. Nick inwardly groans- he could not handle emotional women. Back in the good old days, he left that to Schmidt. He had a somewhat feminine touch when it came to emotional matters, kind of like the male version of Oprah. Nick always got creeped out by the tears and feelings, thus as Daisy grew up, he was the one assigned to kissing scraped knees and threatening horny teenage boys with his gruff voice and strong arms- he left the emotions and hormones to Jess.

"Come here, Dais. Come give Daddy a hug." Daisy collapses into his arms and sobs into his shoulder and he rubs her back comfortingly. Jess appears at the doorway with her glasses perched on the crook of her nose, Cece next to her.

"Listen, Dais." Daisy sits up and looks at him, "I know this is scary. I know, believe me. But it's so, so worth it," his gaze flicks to Jess, "I know you love this kid, and I know he's a good kid! He's crazily in love with you. And I think you need to smile, and go with your Mother and Aunt Cece and make yourself look even more beautiful than you do all the time," Daisy lets out a watery laugh at this, "And go and get married to the man you love. It's good to be scared, it's good. You can do this, Daisy-Chain." Daisy nods and smiles at the old nickname melting into her father's arms, and Nick's gaze flicks up to Jess. She's looking at him with this kind of watery eyed smile and he prays she won't start crying too because he cannot deal with this amount of emotional women, but then she grabs Cece in a hug, who hugs her back whilst giving Nick a thumbs up.

Later that night, his little girl is no longer Daisy Miller. Nick chokes up with emotions as Daisy takes to the dance floor with her new husband, looking radiantly beautiful, as always. Jess is tucked into his side; tears flowing freely as she watches the scene unfold in front on her. Nick feels his own tears begin to fall but he doesn't try and stop them, he doesn't even protest when Schmidt starts crying too and pulls him into a 'bro-hug', he just hugs him back, whispering that if Schmidt was to ever tell anyone about it he would murder him with his bare hands. Winston joins them and he's crying too, and he starts having an inner panic attack because he can't handle emotions and everyone's crying and god damn his back was starting to sweat. Then the song changes and couples are invited to join the dance floor and there's only one thing Nick can think to do.

As the four previous roommates all reunite once again in the slow motion chicken dance, Nick catches his daughter's eye, and winks. He takes in the scene around him, his pecking friends, and it seems like only days have passed since he had taken up residence in that damn photo booth, not twenty years.

**xXx**

Jess' scream pierces his eardrums at one in the morning and he promptly screams in a very unmanly way before rolling out of bed and landing with a bang on the floor.

"What the hell, Jess?" He groans, and she shot out of bed next to him to her wardrobe screaming incoherently and Nick catches the word 'DAISY', 'LABOUR' AND 'BABY' before he's racing to his wardrobe too, pulling on his clothes and dashing to his car as quickly as he can.

Nicholas James Jones is born on the 15th July at two in the morning, weighing 8 pounds 2 ounces. His eyes are the exact same shade of blue as his mother and grandmother.

Nick totally didn't cry when Daisy told him she'd named him after the most wonderful man in her life.

**xXx**

The last time Nick's eyes open is under the harsh glare of the hospital lights. Jess is lying on the bed next to him, humming an old Kiss song he recognised as the one he played the night he came back. He smiles at the memory. Her delicate fingers are spread out on the hospital sheets, toying with the band on her finger. Nick summons his last ounce of energy to sit up and look at her, to gaze at the beautiful eyes he fell in love with, all the, years ago.

"Jess," He savours her name on his lips, knowing it would be one of the last times he would get to say it. She turns her head and smiles at him. Her eyes are misty but happy.

"Hey," She breathes, and he winces from the amount of effort it takes her.

"Are you tired, sweetheart?" Nick asks, and she nods silently.

"Then go to sleep." He whispers, his smile loving.

"I can't sleep, not without saying goodbye." He's crying now and so is she. It's the last time they'll see each other, in this world, anyway, and both of them know it. "Tell me a story, Nick."

Nick reaches across and twines their fingers together for the last time. She squeezes his hand comfortingly and he begins. "Once, there was a beautiful princess. Instead of falling in love with a prince she falls in love with a jerk with long hair and hippy clothes," Jess laughs quietly, "But then she is saved by three handsome knights. Well, two handsome knights and Schmidt. The princess goes and lives with the knights and the knights all love the princess very much. But one of the Knights, Sir Nicholas, loves the princess more than the others. But, Sir Nicholas is too much of a coward to tell her how he feels, until one night when he shouts it to the entire kingdom. Sir Nicholas and the princess do all the typical stuff, they fall in love, they move in together, they get married and have a baby, in the wrong order but that's just their style." Jess laughs again, quieter this time.

"And they love each other forever. No matter what." Jess' eyes slide shut just as the story finishes, a happy smile on her face.

"I love you, Jessica Day." Nick whispers, as he falls asleep too, her hand held tightly in his.


End file.
